Tetsugen Bernard Glassman

Infobox Buddhist biography
name = Bernie Glassman

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img_size =
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landscape =
birth_name =
other_names = Tetsugen Bernard Glassman
dharma_name =
birth_date = birth date and age|1939|1|18
birth_place = Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, New York, United States
death_date =
death_place =
nationality = American
denomination = Soto
school = Zen Peacemaker Circle
lineage = White Plum Asanga
title = Roshi
workplace =
education = Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute
University of California, Los Angeles
occupation =
teacher =
reincarnation_of =
predecessor = Taizan Maezumi
successor = Joan Halifax
Father Robert Kennedy
Wendy Egyoku Nakao
Pat Enkyo O'Hara
Lou Nordstrom
Don Singer
Grover Genro Gauntt
student =
spouse = Sandra Jishu Holmes (deceased)
partner =
children =
website = [http://www.zenpeacemakers.org/ www.zenpeacemakers.org]
[http://www.berniezen.zenpeacemakers.org/ Bernie's blog]

Bernie Glassman (born January 18 1939), aka Tetsugen Bernard Glassman, is a Jewish-American Zen Buddhist roshi and co-founder of the Zen Peacemakers (previously the Zen Peacemaker Order), an organization established in 1996 with his late wife Sandra Jishu Holmes. He passed on leadership of the organization to Paul Genki Kahn in May 2008. Glassman is a Dharma successor of the late Taizan Maezumi-roshi, and has to date given inka and Dharma transmission to several individuals including lesbian Enkyo Pat O'Hara and Catholic priest Robert Kennedy. Glassman has become known for his "street retreats"—excursions by Glassman and others into the streets for weeks at a time to live amongst the homeless. According to author James Ishmael Ford, as of 2006 he has, "...transferred his leadership of the White Plum Asanga to his Dharma brother Merzel Roshi and has formally "disrobed," renouncing priesthood in favor of serving as a lay teacher and leader of what is now called the Zen Peacemaker Family."

Biography

Bernard Glassman was born to Jewish immigrants in Brighton BeachBuddhism, Activism, and Unknowing] , Brooklyn, New York in 1939.Ford, 167-168] He attended university at the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute and received a degree in engineering. Following graduation he moved to California to work as an aeronautical engineer at McDonnell-Douglas. He then received his Ph.D. in applied mathematics from the University of California, Los Angeles.Engaged Buddhism in the West] After reading Philip Kapleau's book "The Three Pillars of Zen" in 1967, Glassman sought a local Zen teacher. He found Taizan Maezumi in Los Angeles, California and Glassman became one of the original founding members of the Zen Center of Los Angeles. He received Dharma transmission in 1976 from Maezumi and then inka in 1995 shortly before Maezumi's death.

In 1982Goldman] Glassman opened Greyston Bakery in Yonkers, New York, an effort to help alleviate the widespread homelessness in the area. The proceeds helped to fund what he called the Zen Community of New York, who in turn would transform condemned or old buildings into new housing areas for the homeless. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B04E2DA1639F932A25756C0A961958260] He employed low-skilled workers from the neighborhood, many of whom were homeless themselves, and sold his baked goods to shops and restaurants in Manhattan. In 1989 he entered an agreement with Ben & Jerry's, and Greyston Bakery has become the supplier of brownies for several lines of icecream.Egger, 136-137] Through the success of his bakery—which today brings in profits of $3.5 million annually, Glassman then founded the Greyston Foundation (sometimes called Greyston Mandala) with his wife Sandra Jishu Holmes. He retired from the Greyston Foundation in 1996 to pursue his desire for international peace efforts (i.e. Zen Peacemaker Circle).Lazarus] As of 2004 the Foundation had developed $35 million worth in real estate development projects in Westchester County, New York. The Foundation offers HIV/AIDS programs, provides job training and housing, childcare services, educational opportunities, and other endeavors. In 2003 the bakery moved to a new building, which allows for higher output more employment opportunities. [Roseland, 173]

In 1996 Glassman, with his wife Sandra Jishu Holmes, founded the Zen Peacemaker Order (today the Zen Peacemaker Circle). According to professor Christopher S. Queen, "The order is based on three principles: plunging into the unknown, bearing witness to the pain and joy of the world, and a commitment to heal oneself and the world." Richard Hughes Seager writes, "The Zen Peacemaker Order...has the potential to rival Thich Nhat Hanh's groups and the Buddhist Peace Fellowship as a force in American activism."Seager, 209]

Teachings

Glassman teaches about what his teacher, the late Taizan Maezumi, called the "unknowing." Unknowing is the first precept of the Zen Peacemaker Circle, and Glassman says of it, "In Zen the words source and essence are the equivalent of Unknowing, and they come up again and again. We have the absolute and the relative perspectives about life, and Unknowing is the one source of both of these." Also, Glassman has become known for his many "street retreats." Author James Ishmael Ford writes, "...'street retreats,' for instance, moves sesshin into the streets: participants eat in soup kitchens, and, if they know they're not displacing homeless people, sleep in homeless shelters or, otherwise, sleep in public places. Zazen takes place in parks and dokusan in alleys."

Bibliography

*cite book| last =Maezumi| first =Taizan| authorlink =Taizan Maezumi| coauthors =Glassman, Bernard| title =The Hazy Moon of Enlightenment: Part of the On Zen Practice Series| publisher =Wisdom Publications| date =2007| location =| pages =| url =http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/73742251&referer=one_hit| doi =| id = | isbn = 0861713141
*cite book| last =Glassman| first =Bernard| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Infinite Circle: Teachings in Zen| publisher =Shambhala Publications| date =2002| location =| pages =| url =http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/47297753&referer=brief_results| doi =| id = | isbn = 1570625913
*cite book| last =Maezumi| first =Taizan| authorlink =Taizan Maezumi| coauthors =Glassman, Bernard| title =On Zen Practice: Body, Breath, Mind| publisher =Wisdom Publications| date =2002| location =| pages =| url =http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/49822921&referer=brief_results| doi =| id = | isbn = 086171315X
*cite book| last =Glassman| first =Bernard| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Bearing Witness: A Zen Master's Lessons in Making Peace| publisher =Bell Tower| date =1998| location =| pages =| url =http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/42209535&referer=one_hit| doi =| id = | isbn = 0609803913
*cite book| last =Glassman| first =Bernard| authorlink =| coauthors =Fields, Rick| title =Instructions to the Cook: A Zen Master's Lessons in Living a Life That Matters| publisher =Bell Tower| date =1996| location =| pages =| url =http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/36959771&referer=one_hit| doi =| id = | isbn = 0517888297

Other media

Audio

Video

*cite book| last =Wegmüller| first =Roland (documentarian)| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Japan Tour of Temples, Monasteries and Tradition| publisher =| date =| location =| pages =| url =http://www.peacemakercommunity.org/sales/index.htm| doi =| id = | isbn =
*cite book| last =Wold| first =Christof (director)| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Instructions to the Cook: A Zen Master's Lessons in Living a Life That Matters| publisher =Loyola Productions Munich GmbH| date =2006| location =| pages =| url =http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/182060644&referer=brief_results| doi =| id = | isbn = 3939926000
*cite book| last =Gregory| first =Peter (director)| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Gate of Sweet Nectar: Feeding Hungry Spirits in an American Zen Community| publisher =Zen Center of Los Angeles| date =2004| location =| pages =| url =http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56132158&referer=brief_results| doi =| id = | oclc = 56132158
*cite book| last =O'Keefe| first =Michael (director)| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Raising the Ashes| publisher =Polonia Films| date =2001| location =| pages =| url =http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/51062604&referer=brief_results| doi =| id = | oclc = 51062604
*cite book| last =Eich| first =George (director)| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Zen on the Street| publisher =Project Ananda Productions| date =1999| location =| pages =| url =http://www.project-ananda.com/main.php?lng=en&cat=videos&action=detail&id=10| doi =| id = | oclc = 51062219

elected honors

* 1991 Best of America Award for Social Action, U.S. News & World Report
* Ethics in Action Award, Ethical Culture Society of Westchester
* E-chievement Award, E-Town, Tom’s of Maine
* Man of the Year, Westchester Coalition of Food Pantries

elected board participation

* The Temple of Understanding
* White Plum Asanga
* Soto Zen Buddhist Association
* AIDS Interfaith National Network
* Social Venture Network
* Westchester Interfaith Housing Corp.

Gallery

Notes

References

*cite book| last =Egger| first =Robert| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Begging for Change: The Dollars and Sense of Making Nonprofits Responsive| publisher =HarperBusiness| date =2004| location =| pages =| url =http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/53038098&referer=brief_results| doi =| id = | isbn = 0060541717
*cite book| last =Ford| first =James Ishmael| authorlink =James Ishmael Ford| coauthors =| title =Zen Master Who?: A Guide to the People and Stories of Zen| publisher =Wisdom Publications| date =2006| location =| pages =| url =http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/70174891&referer=one_hit| doi =| id = | isbn = 0861715098
*cite web| last =Goldman| first =Ari L.| authorlink =| coauthors =| title = YONKERS JOURNAL; Cookies, Civic Pride And Zen| work =| publisher =New York Times| date =1991-12-23| url =http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE5D81630F930A15751C1A967958260| format =| doi =| accessdate = 2008-03-03
*cite web| last =Lazarus| first =Chris| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =ISSUE 1: COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION, Recipes for Empowering Community Greyston, Mandala, Yonkers| work =| publisher =New Village Press| date =| url =http://www.newvillage.net/Journal/Issue1/1greyston.html| format =| doi =| accessdate = 2008-03-03
*cite book| last =Roseland| first =Mark| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Toward Sustainable Communities: Resources for Citizens and Their Governments| publisher =New Society Publishers| date =2005| location =| pages =| url =http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/60956999&referer=one_hit| doi =| id = | isbn = 0865715351
*cite book| last =Queen| first =Christopher S| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Engaged Buddhism in the West| publisher =Wisdom publications| date =2000| location =| pages =| url =http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/41951145&referer=one_hit| doi =| id = | isbn = 0861711599
*cite journal| last =Queen| first =Christopher S.| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Buddhism, activism, and Unknowing: a day with Bernie Glassman (interview with Zen Peacemaker Order founder)| journal =Tikkun| volume =13| issue =1| pages =64–66| publisher =Institute for Labor and Mental Health| location =| date =Jan.-Feb. 1998| url =http://ccbs.ntu.edu.tw/FULLTEXT/JR-EPT/christo.htm| doi =| id =| accessdate = 2008-03-03
*cite book| last =Seager| first =Richard Hughes| authorlink =| coauthors =| title =Buddhism In America| publisher =Columbia University Press| date =1999| location =| pages =| url =http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/40481142&referer=one_hit| doi =| id = | isbn = 0231108680

External links

* [http://www.zenpeacemakers.org/ Zen Peacemakers]
* [http://www.greyston.org/ www.greyston.org/]
* [http://www.greystonbakery.com/ www.greystonbakery.com/]
* [http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2023 Shambhala Sun interview with Roshi Bernie]
* [http://www.zencenter.org/index.html Zen Center of Los Angeles]
* [http://www.whiteplum.org/ White Plum Asanga]
* [http://www.youtube.com/user/bernieglassman Videos about Zen Peacemakers and Bernie Glassman]